Make a Cheese Board in 5 simple steps

By Suzanne Anderson March 19, 2023 31 mins read 109 Views

In no time, you can make a cheeseboard for a party. You will find suggestions on what cheese you should choose, wine pairings, and presentation ideas for a cheese platter for two or four people.

A cheese board (or a cheese platter) is a collection of different types of cheeses that are served together on a plate or other suitable dish. Usually, other ingredients such as fresh or dried fruits, vegetables, crackers, and cured meats are added.

You can serve it at a small gathering or party, and it is a great pairing with a glass wine.

You can make a cheese board as large or small as you like.

It's usually made for entertaining a large number of people. However, you will find ideas and suggestions at the end for making a cheese platter for two or four.

What should a cheese platter look like?

A cheese platter should contain a variety cheeses. The number and quantity of cheeses will depend on how many people you are serving. Also, you should have any other food that you think would go well with the cheeses.

It usually includes cured meats (if it is a vegetarian cheese platter, skip the meat), olives and spreads as well as vegetables, fresh or dried fruits, nuts, crackers, and bread.

5 Steps to make a cheeseboard

Step 1: Locate a platter (or board)

Step HTML2_: Arrange the cheeses in equal distances

Step 3 Add the savory items (cured meats, spreads, etc.) to the cheeses

Step 4. : Add vegetables and fruits (including jams).

Step HTML5 : Fill in the gaps with nuts and crackers.

img alt="How you make a cheese platter in five steps" class="wp-image-9982" decoding="async" height="1024" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 709px) 100vw, 709px" src="https://www.thehungrybites.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cheesse-platter-steps-4-709x1024.jpg" srcset="https://www.thehungrybites.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cheesse-platter-steps-4-709x1024.jpg 709w, https://www.thehungrybites.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cheesse-platter-steps-4-208x300.jpg 208w, https://www.thehungrybites.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cheesse-platter-steps-4-150x217.jpg 150w, https://www.thehungrybites.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cheesse-platter-steps-4.jpg 750w" width="709"/>

Let's now look at those steps

Step 1 - Find a board

A tray, large enough platter or any dish that has a flat surface will work. A cutting board can be used, but it should be washed well if you use it to cut meat or other foods.

A baking tray can be a great alternative if you don't have any other options.

img alt="What to put on a cheese board?" class="wp-image-9977" decoding="async" height="817" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://www.thehungrybites.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cheesse-platter-1.jpg" srcset="https://www.thehungrybites.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cheesse-platter-1.jpg 700w, https://www.thehungrybites.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cheesse-platter-1-257x300.jpg 257w, https://www.thehungrybites.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cheesse-platter-1-150x175.jpg 150w" width="700"/>

These photos were taken with a wooden turntable I purchased at IKEA.

Step 2 - Arrange the cheeses

Which cheeses should you put on your cheese board?

You and your guests will love the type of food you choose!

There are many options when it comes to choosing the right type of cheese for your cheese platter.

You can pick the cheeses based on their texture.

You can choose to:

2-3 hard cheeses (Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, Pecorino, Cheddar, Gruyere, Manchego, Asiago, Kefalotyri)
1-2 semifirm (Gouda Edam, Emmental and Monterey Jack).
and something creamy (Brie. Camembert. Chevre. Mozzarella. Blue cheese. Feta.

You can also choose what you will serve based on their intensity (how much they taste). This will allow you to choose between 2-3 mild cheddars, 1-2 strong, and something unique.

My method of choosing cheese may be slightly different than yours, but it might work for you. So I recommend that you:

Choose safe options everyone loves such as Parmigiano Reggiano and Gruyere.
Choose something unique. You can choose from any type of blue cheese or a cheese with herbs.
Choose something creamy. A creamy goat cheese such as chevre or Feta is my favorite.
Choose something local (often, many of the choices above can be local cheeses).

Remember that a variety textures, colors, and shapes are essential for a great presentation.

Choose cheeses of different textures and colors. Cut 1 or 2 into rectangular slices and the rest in triangles. I usually leave the whole soft cheeses uncut. Place the uncut pieces next to a cheese knife.

When I make a cheeseboard for guests, the safe choices will usually be more important than the funky or creamy. Three safe options (Cheddar cheese, Parmigianno Reggiano, Kefalotyri and Parmigianno Reggiano) are paired with one funky choice (blue cheese), and 1-2 creamy choices (Chevre, Camembert).

I like to place the cheeses at equal distances, so they can be placed between the other ingredients.

If you are interested in cheese, you will find the articles 15 most common types of soft cheese from homestratosphere.com as well as the 10 types of hard cheese from cookedbest.com to be very helpful!

Step 3 - Add the savory ingredients

The third step involves arranging the savory ingredients between the cheeses.

The savory ingredient are:

Canned meats Cut in very thin pieces (like Ham, Prosciutto and Jamon Iberico, Brezaola or salami).
Spreads and dips (like Baba Ganoush, Baba Gandol, bean dips, pesto and feta, and spinach dip)
pickles, green and black olives

Do not overthink the placement of each ingredient. Place it beside the cheese that you think it will pair best with. You can also place any wet ingredients in small bowls.

Step 4 - Add the fruits and vegetables

Fresh fruit, dried fruits and jams are all part of the fruit category.

For smaller vegetables and fruits, you can serve them whole. Larger ones should be cut or sliced for easier serving.

Here are some suggestions:

Vegetables cherry tomatoes and bell peppers
Fruit: Grapes, apples and pears, as well as strawberries, pears, raspberries, dried apricots and raisins, dried blueberry jam, or this simple homemade peach jam. These jams go great with blue cheese, goat cheese, and blueberry jam.

Tip To prevent them from browning, soak the sliced apples or pears in water with lemon juice and some water.

Step 5 - Fill the gaps with nuts and crackers, pita chips, bread sticks

It's best to not add nuts or crackers to the cheese platter if you don't want them to absorb moisture and become soft. You should add them all at the end.

You can find the perfect crackers, bread sticks and pita chips, fresh bread, walnuts almonds, cashews and fresh bread.

How many cheeses do you need to make a cheeseboard?

This question is not one that I believe has a right or wrong answer.

It all matters. You're making a cheese platter to serve a football team, or your grandma with her friends.

Are you going to have dinner at the restaurant or will you go home?

When in doubt, I usually follow this rule: It's better not to have enough food than leftovers. Keep some cheese on hand in case you have to replenish the board.

It is safe to say that you will need 1-2 slices of each cheese per guest. However, it is possible to use a variety of cheeses so you might only need one. The same applies to the rest of the ingredients.

What happens if you have too many guests and don't have enough cheese boards?

A large cheese board is not necessary. It's better to make two regular-sized cheese boards than one large one if you have many guests.

Are you able to do it ahead of the time?

Although I wouldn't recommend making it the day before, you can make it the morning or the evening before.

These are the three most important things to remember

Wrap the entire board in plastic wrap
Keep it in the refrigerator
Don't add bread sticks, crackers or bread to the mixture until the end.

How do you make a cheese platter to feed 2 people

I wanted 3 cheeses for this platter, 2 "safe" and one creamy. I selected Cheddar, some Greek Graviera (similarly to Gruyere), and a slice each of a French goat cheese (Chevre).

img alt="Cheese board to 2 people" class="wp-image-9980" decoding="async" height="1024" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" src="https://www.thehungrybites.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cheesse-platter-for-2-683x1024.jpg" srcset="https://www.thehungrybites.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cheesse-platter-for-2-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://www.thehungrybites.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cheesse-platter-for-2-200x300.jpg 200w, https://www.thehungrybites.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cheesse-platter-for-2-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://www.thehungrybites.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cheesse-platter-for-2-150x225.jpg 150w, https://www.thehungrybites.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/cheesse-platter-for-2.jpg 800w" width="683"/>

I placed the cheeses at equal distances and added two slices of Prosciutto in the middle.

Then I placed two cherry tomatoes, a small amount of grapes, and filled in the gaps with almonds or crackers.

How do you make a cheese platter to feed 4 people

A metal tray was used to create this platter for four (or five) people. There were four cheeses I used: Gruyere and Cheddar as safe options, small mozzarella balls for a creamy/soft choice and an unexpected choice, which was a piece blue cheese.

Then I added some salami sliced, some blueberry jam (which pairs perfectly with all cheeses, but especially blue cheese), some dried fruits and a few cherry tomato pieces.

The last step was to fill the gaps with walnuts and breadsticks.

What's the difference between a cheese and charcuterie board?

What makes a cheeseboard and a charcuterieboard different? It is the ingredients and how many they contain.

A cheese board includes a variety of cheeses and some other ingredients, as well as some meat products.

Charcuterie boards are mainly made up of meat products, cured meats primarily, and other complementary ingredients in smaller quantities (like cheese).

Wine pairing

Which wine is best to pair with cheese?

In my humble opinion, there is no right or wrong answer.

White wines go well with almost all cheeses, as the flavors complement one another.

Pair hard, aged and buttery cheeses with white or red wines.

A white wine is safest, but if you have hard-aged cheese and cured meats like prosciutto, you should definitely consider red wine!

As a rule of thumb, soft-flavored wines should be paired with mild cheeses, while strong wines should be paired with stronger cheeses.

Classic combinations:

Sauvignon Blanc and Goat Cheese (or Feta)
Moscato d'Asti and Gorgonzola
Champagne and Brie
Blue cheese and Chardonnay (or a full-bodied fruity Syrah).
Roses and mozzarela
Pinot Noir, Beaujolais or Gruyere
Cabernet Sauvignon and Aged Cheeseddar (or Smoked Gouda).
Tempranillo or Barolo, Amarone, Amarone, Port, and Parmigianno Reggiano
Malbec, Gouda
Red Sangria, or white Sangria mixed with everything!

Winefolly.com also offers 12 classic pairings for wine and cheese

Extra tips

In small bowls, combine the ingredients to retain moisture.
Use even numbers because they are more appealing to the eye.
You should have some small spoons, forks, and cheese knives on hand.
Allow the cheese to cool for 30 minutes before serving. This will make the cheese's fat softer and give it a more intense flavor.

In 5 easy steps, you can make a cheese board

In no time, you can make a cheeseboard for a party. You will find suggestions on what cheese you should choose, wine pairings, and presentation ideas for a cheese platter for two or four people.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American and European

Keyword Board, Cheese, Fruit, Party, Plate, Sweet Wine, Vegetables

Prep time 20 minutes

Cook Time minutes

Total time HTML4_ HTML5_ HTML5_ HTML6_ HTML7_ HTML8_ HTML9_ HTML6_ HTML7_ HTML8_ HTML9_ HTML5_ HTML6_ HTML4_ HTML5_ HTML5_ HTML5_ HTML6_ HTML5_

Servings HTML2_ HTML3_ HTML4_ HTML5_ HTML6_ HTML7_ HTML8_ HTML9_ HTML2_

Author Makos

Ingredients

For the cheese:

3-4 a few safe-choices such as Parmigiano reggiano, Cheddar and Gruyere, Edam. Gruyere, Edam. Emmental, Kefalotyti. Mozzarella (about 7oz/200g each)
1-2 bits of cheeses such as Stilton, Gorgonzola and blue cheese. (approximately 7oz / 200g each).
1-2 pieces of creamy cheeses like Chevre, Feta, Brie, Camembert (about 7oz / 200grams each)

Here are the savory ingredients

7 oz (200g) of meats like Prosciutto and salami.
1 Cup Black and Green Olives or Pickles
1 Cup Dips, sauces, such as hummus, pesto and mustard, etc

Here are the fruits and veggies:

1 Fresh fruits such as grapes, strawberries and sliced apples
1/2 Cup Dry fruits like prunes, raisins, and dried apricots
1/2 cup Jams like fig and blueberry jam
1-2 Vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers in sticks

For bread and nuts:

1/2 -1 cup walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios
1 cup crackers
Sliced fresh bread, bread sticks, or pita chips

Instructions

Step 1: Locate a platter, board or plate
Step 2 - Arrange cheeses in an equal distance from one another.
Step 3: Mix the savory ingredients with the cheeses.
Step 4: Add all the fruits and vegetables (including jams). Place each ingredient next to the cheese that you think it will pair best with.
Step 5: Fill the gaps by adding nuts, crackers, and bread sticks

Notes

These quantities are only for reference. Please also read the paragraph "How much cheese do I need to make a cheese board?" in the article.
You can cut the cheeses into different shapes. Soft cheeses can be left whole, but you should place a knife right next to them.
All wet ingredients should be placed in small bowls

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main dishes in a Mediterranean food plan?

Mediterranean cuisine consists of fruits, vegetables whole grains, legumes as well as nuts. Fresh ingredients are preferred to pre-packaged processed food. To enhance the flavor of meals, herbs should be used sparingly. You should incorporate physical activity into your daily schedule to reap the full benefits. The diet can be made more enjoyable if you share mindful eating methods with family members and friends while sharing food.

Is it possible to use extra virgin olive oil in place of regular olive oil?

Extra virgin olive oil is not recommended for Mediterranean cuisine. Regular olive oil can be used in place of extra virgin. Regular olive oil can still be used, even though Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), is more desirable for its superior quality and nutritional benefits. However, it is still possible to use regular olive oil due to its mild flavor. Regular olive oils are great for everyday meals like roasting vegetables or making stir-fry dishes. This oil comes at a lower cost than EVOO. Others believe it might be better suited to high heat applications, such deep frying. However, remember that it does not contain the same nutrients or positive compounds as EVOO, so try to make up for these benefits in other parts of your diet whenever possible.

What fruit is on a Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean Diet includes fruits such as oranges, grapes and melons. You can add fresh fruits into breakfast recipes like smoothie bowls, parfaits, or shakes to increase nutrition. Greek yogurt with dates spread on toast is an excellent choice for breakfast. This provides natural sweetness without the use of processed sugars. Fresh fruit can be sliced and served over salads to add flavor and nutrients and satisfy sweet tooth cravings. Healthy snacks that are part of the Mediterranean Diet include nuts and seeds such a almonds, pistachios, as well as dark chocolate moderately for additional antioxidants. You can taste the ancient Mediterranean diet's flavors by exploring the various options available in the Mediterranean region.

Statistics

Benefits of Replacing foods high in saturated fats (like butter) with plant sources high in monounsaturated fatty acids, like olive oil, may help lower the risk of heart disease by 19 percent, according to research. (everydayhealth.com)
The Mediterranean Diet group had a 30% lower relative risk of cardiovascular events compared to the low-fat diet group. (my.clevelandclinic.org)
Other components in tomatoes may help reduce the risk of blood clots, thereby protecting against cardiovascular disease, according to a March 2019 review in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. (everydayhealth.com)
1g sugar Benefits Rich in heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats, these nuts may also favourably impact your gut microbiome (and thus improve digestive health) and lower LDL cholesterol, according to a small study that included 18 healthy adults. (everydayhealth.com)

External Links

How To

How to Incorporate Mediterranean-Inspired Foods into Your Daily Meals?

The Mediterranean diet is a great way of improving your overall health, and quality of living. This eating pattern focuses on including healthy fats, whole grains, legumes, and fresh fruits and vegetables in daily meals. These eating habits can provide health benefits like better blood lipids, glucose control, reduced chance of depression and certain types cancer, better heart health, improved cognitive function, weight management and better overall health. Incorporating Mediterranean-inspired foods into your diet can be done with ease by following several helpful tips:

Switch to nutrient-dense foods like hummus or traditional greens such as beans and chips in place of high-calorie snacks.
Find out how to make your diet more varied by adding spices or other sources made from nuts, fruits, or vegetables.
Include grains, legumes, or high-fiber food items to increase your satisfaction.
You can add moderate amounts of milk products such as yogurt, cheese and milk to your diet throughout the day to get additional nutrition.
Instead of traditional oils, you can use olive oil as your primary cooking fat.
Finally, occasionally enjoy a red wine to complete the Mediterranean experience.

You can adopt Mediterranean eating habits with effort and time. This will allow you to enjoy your food while also gaining potential health benefits. Combining this with regular, vigorous exercise could lead to even greater short-term benefits and long-term health benefits. This includes the prevention of chronic diseases, better body composition, and improved overall health.